A/N : Woah, so many wonderful reviewers to thank again! Here goes; Freezyboncoolipants, Brunettepet, Arisluv, Moonjava, Daniel Wesley Rydell, libraflyter, sheilamarie, SlaYeRGiRLkaL, Hellmouth2, Moluvsnumber17, spikes-slayer29590, wigi, amberblood, Demonica Mills, Virginia Riddle-Malfoy, Aliesha, pixiecorn, Bridge, Angel sumortis, Spuffyfan4eva, spuffygurl11, Pulchra Nex, Syd, Anyanka0705, spuffy4eva, lil-leti, some girl, Buffy The Vampire Slayer, MaidenRo, Rowan Rice, Xtremely-Canadian, msberry, Aisling-Siobhan, nscara5, Celestia Nailo, Melissa, Lady Nightspike, Magick, nekokitsune13, funkydevil206- so many awesome people makes for a lot of name typeage, but I don't mind. Thank you all for your support. Here's the new chapter!
(For disclaimer, etc. - see chapter 1)
Chapter 16
Long awkward hours past at 1630 Revello Drive. Giles arrived back with some proper clothes for Spike though by now it had come to light that both his and Buffy's original outfits were both perfectly fine and back to full-size. Spike was exceedingly glad to get back into his black outfit, and to find that his precious coat would be wearable again when he needed it.
Buffy did all she could to avoid the vampire, who in turn seemed to make every effort to keep out of the Slayer's way. The four of them spent some of their time all pretending to watch a movie on TV though in truth their minds were all elsewhere, thinking of one they ached for that sat not a few feet from them, but were not ready to admit it right now.
When the phone rang, everyone seemed to want the excuse of answering it to leave the awkward atmosphere of the living room. It was Buffy that ran fastest and made it to the ringing phone before anyone else.
"Hey Buff, it's me" Xander told her, trying not to yawn. He'd driven so many hours and on limited sleep ever since Willow's spell, which was now thankfully over, he felt as if he could sleep well into the next century given half a chance.
"Xander, how are you?" she checked, "Is Willow with you? Is she okay?"
"Everything's cool" her friend assured her, "We're at the dorm, Will's dropping off her bag and using the bathroom and stuff, then I planned on bringing her over to see you guys - she kinda wants to apologise"
"It'll be great to see her but y'know she doesn't have to be sorry" Buffy shook her head, "She didn't mean to do any harm"
"I told her" Xander agreed, "but you know Will, all big with the guiltage"
They talked a little while longer before hanging up with the promise to see each other very soon. Buffy told the others what had been said and Joyce said she needed to go out to the store for a few things if people were coming over. Buffy frowned, and insisted her mother was being over-the-top about this. It was only Wills and Xand coming over to say hi, but Joyce insisted there were things she must fetch right now. Buffy only understood when her mother called for Giles attention.
"Er, Rupert, would you like to come with me?" she asked almost shyly, "I could use some help carrying things"
"Oh, certainly Joyce" he smiled, as they got their jackets and left together, leaving Buffy and Spike alone and the movie they'd been watching long over. The TV was turned off and a deathly silence fell over the house. Spike stared over at Buffy as she in turn kept her eyes on a picture on the wall, anything just so she didn't have to face being alone with him like this.
The vampire studied her, wondering at what an actress she really was. She played the part of the high-and-mighty Slayer pretty well, telling him it was all the spell that made her like him. Truth was he meant a lot more to her than she admitted, he'd heard her after she'd been talking to Joyce upstairs.
He'd realised shortly after they'd disappeared up the stairs that he needed one of the Summers women to fetch him some more blood since there was none in the fridge. He was just two steps up when he'd heard Buffy exit the bedroom, the soft click of the door perfectly clear due to his vampiric hearing ability.
"He means nothing" she'd said, making him feel sick to his stomach, especially when he smelt the salt water she shed from her eyes. He was about to walk away, maybe grab the throw from the couch and make a run for it, find some other place to call home, but then the truth had met his ears.
"He means everything" she'd whispered and then he knew he wasn't the only one play acting following the spell. She did feel the same, her love for him had survived the process of bringing them back to adulthood just as his had.
Now as they sat here alone together he planned on admitting to his true feelings, in the hope she might do the same. It seemed she was a little more stubborn that he'd bargained for.
"Buffy" he got her attention, though she didn't seem happy to be forced to look at him. When he realised how intently she was looking back at him now he completely lost all hold on what he was going to say, "I, er...you managed to get that ring of mine off yet? I want that back y'know" he snapped, mentally kicking himself.
"It won't come off" she told him, demonstrating her point by pulling on it and wincing when it stuck at her knuckle.
"Well, guess there's only one thing to do then" he sighed, before grinning, "Just have to cut your finger off I s'pose"
"Yeah, right" Buffy scoffed, though she couldn't help the slight laugh that escaped her lips. When he smirked at her that way he was incredibly sexy she realised and when his expression turned into a playful grin like it usually did he was the little boy who'd meant so much to her. Either way it was becoming increasingly difficult to hate him like she knew she should.
"Gotta say, as much fun as it was runnin' round like a kid for while" he said, getting up from the chair he'd been sitting in and moving to join her on the couch, "There are definite advantages to being back to normal"
Buffy hated how she had trouble breathing when he came close to her. She remembered how he'd held her last night, how safe and perfect it'd felt.
"There were definite up-sides to the spell too" she said quietly, loving how they'd been such great friends and knowing there was no way to get that back, though in truth more than friends was on her mind now.
Spike seemed to know exactly what she was thinking as he stared at her. Those bright blue eyes of his felt like they were looking into her soul and she could barely breathe again.
"Buffy..." he began only to be interpreted by a loud knock on the door, "Oh, bugger" he complained as the Slayer practically jumped off the the sofa and went to open the door.
"Hey" Willow smiled uncertainly beside Xander, "Buffy, I'm so sorry" the red-head immediately added as her friend pulled her into a hug.
"You don't have to apologise, Will" the blonde assured her, "You didn't mean to do what you did, I know that"
"But the damage I could have done" the witch went on to say as she and Xander came into the house and Buffy closed the door behind them "the damage I did do! I mean, all those demons chasing Xander, and Giles being blind, and you forced to run around and be friends with a disgusting, evil...hey Spike" she changed her sentence immediately when she turned and realised he was right in front of her. Buffy felt awful for him.
"Nice to see you too, Red" he said, looking far from happy, "Alright with you if I have a fag in your basement, Slayer?" he asked the blond, going over to his coat and rummaging through the pockets, "Can't rightly go outside, sun blazin' and all"
"Sure, go ahead" Buffy nodded, not appreciating the look Xander shot her way, "Xand, have you seen Anya since you got back? Y'know she was really worried about you" she told the brunette.
"Oh geez, Ahn, I completely forgot to call her" he realised, putting a hand to is head that ached from all the stress, "I should go see her now" he said looking for confirmation from his girls who both nodded.
"I'll hang here with Buffy, if that's okay" said Willow, "and then I'll walk back to campus"
When Xander was gone the two girls shared the couch and the red-head again started an apology.
"Willow, really, it's okay" Buffy promised her, "Of all people that need an apology I'm the least needy...well, except maybe for Spike" she smiled slightly.
"You didn't mind being five and friends with him?" the witch looked confused by that and Buffy sighed.
"I dunno" she admitted, "I mean, it was confusing and a little upsetting for a while. None of my memories fitted together and that was wiggy but..." she paused before continuing, "Will, it didn't matter. None of the badness meant anything, the slaying and all was something I knew I was supposed to do, but it was okay"
"Because you were too little to really understand?" Willow frowned, not sure she was getting it. Buffy shook her head, as she studied her hands. Eventually she looked up, dreading what might happen when she said what she must.
"It was okay because...Spike was there" she admitted, "As crazy as it sounds he was there for me and he cared about me and as weird as everything got I just knew that the love between us was real...and forever"
"Love?" Willow looked stunned, "Th-there's love now?" she stammered, wondering if she'd accidentally cast more than one spell here, something to induce weird attractions or whatever, but the look on her friends face was too serious and genuine to be faked by the magicks.
"I don't know about now" Buffy shook her head, as she looked own at her hand, the tiny shaft of light though the crack in the drapes causing the silver ring she wore to glint, "He keeps asking me for his ring back and being all mean and evil-ish like he used to be...either he doesn't love me anymore or he's one hell of an actor"
"How come you still have the ring without telling him you like him?" Willow wanted to know.
"I told him I can't get it off" the Slayer admitted.
"And can you?" the red-head wanted to know. Buffy said nothing as she took hold of the silver item, puling it passed her knuckle and off the end of her finger, before pushing it firmly back on.
Willow sighed sadly.
"Oh boy, you got it bad" she realised.
"You don't mind?" Buffy asked worriedly, "I mean, you don't think I'm a freak? Like Freako-girl that only has serious relationships with guys old enough to be her ancestors?"
"Buffy, in case you haven't noticed my love life ain't exactly rainbows and sunbeams right now" Willow smiled sadly, "I'm not going to start judging your choices in life. Besides, Xander's latest flame was kinda demony, and Spike is...well, evil, but not so much with the chip in his head, right?"
"Was that a yes or a no to my question?" Buffy smiled in spite of herself, really not having followed the to's and fro's of what her friend had said too well.
"Well" Willow considered, "to be honest I don't really remember the question" she admitted, "but Buffy, I just want you to be happy" she told her, "I want us all to be happy and if that means being with people that aren't perfect well, hey, who is prefect these days?" she smiled.
"Thankyou, Will" her best friend was almost tearful as she hugged the witch tightly, "And y'know I'm kinda glad your spell went all kablooey"
"Not often I hear that" Willow laughed lightly as the two friend pulled apart again, right as Spike came up from the basement again. Both girls turned to look at him and he frowned.
"What?" he asked suspiciously, looking down and then up, checking he hadn't transformed back into a kid or a random demon or something, "Reason why you two are looking at me like some kind of science project?" he checked.
Buffy opened her mouth to answer, to tell him the truth, but the words wouldn't come.
"What's the matter, Slayer?" he asked, head tilting to one side, "D'you really miss me all that much? I was only gone for a minute" he smirked. His stupid comments spoiled her plan to be honest, hardening her heart against him once again.
"I'm just disappointed" she lied, getting up and pushing passed him to leave the room, "I was hoping you might set yourself on fire with your cigarette"
"Bitch" Spike called behind her as she bolted up the stairs.
Willow rolled her eyes as she watched him storm off towards the kitchen. She really had been right about their childish behaviour. After all that had happened, they still couldn't admit that they like each other. Perhaps she should have left them as kids.
To Be Continued...
A/N2 : Seems all my fics are ending at the moment...thank God I'm already having new ideas ;-) Please review on this chapter. There are probably only going to be two more!
